TomBettle

Apologies from me. I can't make it again.

Choice of tackle is very personal. Some like to fish with heavy gear in the belief that if they hook the fish of a lifetime they won't lose it, others have a specific preference for brand. I am a little bit of a tackle tart and like to fish lightish too. For me I loathe the modern Abu 7000 range. I personally am of the opinion that they are about as much use as a chocolate fire guard. Others love them... If I had to have one single medium priced reel and use it for everything it would probably be from the Avet range. I find the SX a little small for everything so maybe the next one up. My own reels are from the Penn TRQ range and I use the 100 for almost everything I do only stepping up to the 200 for BIG Conger, shark and other fish that could possibly break the 100lb barrier. The only other time the 200 comes out is if the 100 is on my main rod and I need to grab a second quickly after snagging up etc. I match my TRQ's with Penn Waveblaster travel rods in 6/12, 12/20 and 20/30 flavours. Alternatively, my preferred rod is an Alba 6lb class which I use for most of my wreck drifting for Cod, Pollack, Bass etc. The 6/12 has taken tonnes of really good fish including Conger into the 40s and Tope to in excess of 50lb It handles these fish with no problems assuming you don't panic! The 20/30 only ever comes out if I need to use more than 1.25lb of lead and it has handled many very big eels (current club record while fishing with Alfresco and many bigger fish still over at Portland). The above 20/30 would also be used against Porbeagle with the 12/20 being my preferred Blue Shark rod. I personally would only ever go heavier when I am talking seriously difficult fish to shift such as Common Skate or mammoth pelagics like BIG Tuna or Marlin. For Yellowfin Tuna I use an Alba IGFA rated 30lb class rod - IGFA ratings are much stiffer than UK ratings with a 30 being more like a UK 50/80. For Marlin I have a Penn UK80lb class rod (IGFA 30/50) which has taken fish to an estimated 750lb. These brags are actually pointing out that big fish come relatively easily on improbable gear if the whole lot is well balanced. The right rod, matched to the right reel with the right line and right drag settings. It's not rocket science just about balanced tackle. If you can't stretch to an Avet then look at a Penn 535. It is perfect size for uptiding, will handle shark and Conger, but will also provide sport against smaller fish like Pollack and Cod. It will sit fine on the rods you currently have, but will also sit on a nice shiny new 12lb class which will handle all your inshore and wreck drifting species whilst keeping a smile on your face.

Hi Bill I assume you will be in Sal or Boa Vista on a family holiday? If Sal, get in touch with Giorgio Assolari at the Cabo Verde Fishing Centre. He'll steer you in the right direction with tips for shore fishing and also a selection of rather basic, but adequate small charter boats for everything from scratching off the reef to BIG reef lunkers like Amberjack right up to the top of the tree with Marlin. It may be a tiny bit early for Marlin. I am sure they are there most of the year, but the true Marlin boats are probably not geared up for them or even running. They normally get cracking in March. I may be wrong... If you were over in Mindello (Island of Sao Vincente) then I would strongly recommend a frank chat with any of the Marlin boat captains, Zak Conde would be my own first choice. Ask them if you stand a real chance or will you just be burning fuel. Remember, I was spectacularly lucky on my trip, Marlin are truly tough to come by and nobody has come close to the numbers we had since we were there. That said, when the bite is hot in CV, expect a fish a day, often quite a few more.

Just in from my mate Zak Conde http://www.marlincapeverde.com/ of "Amelia" Some space for 2012 season. One week in March, a little left in June and July with realy good prices for July (it's when the granders have been coming). Either contact him direct through the website or ask me to put you in touch. Experience the same incredible fishing I have had out there. 27 Marlin in 5 days, 15 in one day. My best was +/-750lb on IGFA 30/50 Standup. This year 4 granders have come from Cape Verde, more than anywhere else in the world. One of those fell to Sea Angler magazines Dave Lewis. Please note I have nothing to do with the charter operation apart from having the trip of a lifetime with them and have since become friends with Captain Zak.

I'll second that. They're flat bottomed designed for use over the mud flats. Great for netting mullet and possibly sneaking in to creeks at low water. Wouldn't even want to be in the harbour in other than calm conditions.

You wouldn't want to go out of the harbour in it.

Sorry Rob First go and you pick the day after my wedding and second go you have picked the boat show! Would have been happy to help if I had been free.

Thanks Jim As you may expect, I was interested in the good ones, but thanks very much anyway. Cheers Tom

Jim Let me check what size tyres Abbie's 206 takes. They may be the same and if so I'll probably take them off your hands. If you haven't got rid of them yet, can you leave it until the morning and I'll report back... Tom

...Rob Any chance you can ask Dave to email the high res ones over of Parkstone Bay too. Cheers

Rob we may be interested in getting Dave to do some official ones. Can you ask him to contact me or Jimmy. Much appreciated on permissions... Tom

They are great shots Rob. Loved all of them, especially those of our marina. Would your friend mind if we used them? They are so current as some of the boats in those shots have only just arrived. Must have been pretty high too.

Yep much more efficient Adam. The downside is the servicing costs so the saving is pretty much equalled out, but it's the there and now saving and increased performance that does put a smile on your face!

Mike I was blown away by how cheap it was. 2 x 260Hp engines, nearly 7 tonnes and 6 knots faster cruise speed than Quest II, but only about 30% dearer on juice.

Rob didn't actually buy this boat from me. But he's sensible enough to know when it was getting the better of him and asked the sea school for some practical help. I would have packed my rods, but at 25 knots even the Channels Wahoo would struggle to keep up. On your point about the marine industry being "good", not me mate, have you not heard, I am the evil scurge of the industry after a foolish indescretion the other day! Prey tell Pm me I'll see you later. And tell you then!

Rob didn't actually buy this boat from me. But he's sensible enough to know when it was getting the better of him and asked the sea school for some practical help. I would have packed my rods, but at 25 knots even the Channels Wahoo would struggle to keep up. On your point about the marine industry being "good", not me mate, have you not heard, I am the evil scurge of the industry after a foolish indescretion the other day!

Jim It was horrible. It wasn't even that I couldn't stop and fish, but that I didn't even have a rod onboard! Driving over the Brittle Stars, my favourite wrecks, Hurds Deeps, past Speedy Rock, past the Schole Bank, back up the Swinge, past the Nannels and all our Alderney memories just a mile or two away. All of it so close... yet so very far.

Such a travesty. Just completed 2 days of own boat tuition with a customer aboard his Jeanneau Prestige 34. Joined by, Harry, his eleven year old son who kept himself busy with his DS. The idea was for him to gain confidence and competence in close quarters and so we started on Tuesday morning with a spot of pontoon bashing and learning about using twin engines. An hour or so in and the basics are sinking in, but it's pretty stressful stuff in a very tight space with anchors and tens of thousands of pounds worth of boats all around and poor Rob looked exhausted. "Do you want to go somewhere?" I asked him. "What, Poole Quay?" Rob replied thinking I simply meant a change of scenery and different pontoons. I explained that we could break up the pontoon bashing with a look at weather and tides and possibly do a proper passage plan to go on a cruise, much as he hoped to do when his entire family was with him. "Can we do that?" He asked. Too bloody right we can. That is what this boat does best and so we discussed the merits of a short hop to Weymouth or Lymington and ruled those out as he done them in his smaller boat. Brixham? Nice, but not too challenging. We chose Guernsey as it would be Rob (and Harry's) first ever channel crossing and in that respect a true adventure. We untied lines at Parkstone Bay Marina at 16:00 and headed out into a smooth sea. A very gentle swell kept the boat feeling like it was on the water rather than simply gliding through the air and we averaged a steady 22 or so knots all the way across. A pod of Dolphins joined us very briefly mid channel and were soon left prancing in our wake and then the usual extra caution through the separation lanes which were properly crossed at 90 degrees rather than the slight angle we have a tendency to take them at. Rob was a happy dangler rather than a serious angler, but he seemed keen to hear about the wrecks and fishing marks we were travelling above and was wowed by the depth finder dropping away to over 500' as we crossed the Hurds Deeps with Alderney off on the port bow. With a good shove of tide behind us we chose to pass Burhou to port and in no time and with fabulous visibility first Sark, then Herm and then Guernsey appeared as dark lines above the horizon. Another 45 minutes and we were running up the Little Russell channel and soon Rob was practising his new skills and holding station in what seemed like a very busy queue waiting to head in to Victoria Marina in St Peter Port. I've run the channel many times, but usually to Alderney or Jersey. Never having been to Guernsey I was firstly surprised by the organised chaos entering the marina. Great fun, but a little stressful for Rob and after tieing up by 20:30 I was then taken by how quaint (compared with St Helier) St Peter Port was. Next surprise came as we headed ashore and stumbled across a nice looking bistro called Diez Neuf. A recognisable face was sat at one of the outside tables, my customer and now fishing friend Dan Redrupp's dad Bob was just finishing dinner with Dan's brother. They had made the crossing a few days before in their Merry Fisher 625 and looked to be having a very relaxed holiday. Steak in garlic butter, a couple of cold ciders and it was bed time for me. Moored by the road wasn't great, but I got enough sleep to feel fresh at 07:00 when I shot off to the very good marina facilities for a proper freshen up. On return I found Rob facing his first experience of rafting up (three deep) as he and our friendly French berth neighbour were helping another French visitor slide out from the inside in their rather nice looking Fontaine Pajot Catamaran. A lazy breakfast for the three of us and we said Aurevoir to our neighbours in their new Prestige 39 at 10:00 and straight to the fuel berth. Firstly, I was bowled over by the fact we had only used 180 litres to run at a good cruising speed the almost 90 nautical miles from Poole along with some pontoon bashing before hand and then Rob was bowled over at the price of the fuel, just 72ppl! Result! "...no Rob you have to stop now, it's coming out of the breather pipe!" Leaving the fuel berth at 10.40 and a quick diversion 40 minutes later to take him through The Swinge. A gestured wave towards my good mate Mark at Alderney Angling (who text to say he waved back from the breakwater as he was helping with the childrens fishing festival) and then whoosh! The oily calm tidal swirls of the swinge were very suddenly and seemingly from nowhere dramatically interrupted by standing waves. The first caught us a little off guard, but the speed was quickly dropped from 25 knots at 2400rpm to a far more manageable and comfortable 16 knots as we reached our next waypoint and steered NxNE towards Poole Bay. After a few miles we left the tidal influence of Alderney behind and was soon back up to cruising revs. The ships in the lanes seemed stationary from 10 miles away, but as we got closer the white water from their bulbous bows was clear. The only interruption to the now smooth again sea was a slight bump as we crossed the wake of a bulk carrier half a mile astern and at 25 miles out the first hints of the Purbeck Hills could be seen. At 19 miles out the Bournemouth Eye could be seen going up and down with what seemed an endles stream of tourists and it made a great visual marker to steer towards to take us out a little wide of Peverel Ledge and Old Harry for a more comfortable run back to the Swash Channel. We met a Sunseeker Trideck heading back the way we had come and then once again the oily calm was distrubed by the weather conditions being affected by land as a stiff westerly five hit a a result of heat and thermoclines around the Purbecks. I tasted the first bit of salt spray of the cruise, but the boat was quite happy in the short chop and continued in with Old Harry a mile to port and home was in sight. Tied up back at Parkstone Bay Marina at 14:45, a quick break and another hour of pontoon bashing left Rob ready for the Channel, ready to cruise and feeling happy around his mooring. I hope he and his family have a great time with their new boat. They should do, she's lovely. A whirlwind channel islands trip. And not a fishing rod in sight!

Yes, I had a very similar story given to me and rather stupidly believed it until going home from the marina I kept recounting the story and wondered: 1) What do Sunfish eat anyway? 2) I don't think it is live bait style prey? 3) If it is, how the hell does that thing chase down a mackerel? 4) If it does, how the hell does it get it in that mouth!? Still, brilliant to see and a lovely twist to your day at sea. Nice one chaps! Tom

I have to say, I completely agree. Trolling is potentially a very dull and very expensive form of angling, but when you know the fish are there waiting to he caught the anticipation can be electric. Some species, Tuna for example are typically caught trolling, but essentially are big Mackerel and will take a bait in the same way as they will... once feeding fish can be found you can chuck plugs at them, jig for them, livebait for them, chunk for them, kite fish... all of these are very active and in the main visual. This is truly exciting fishing and turns our usual day on the wrecks on its head.

Well I have just discovered that ccurrently the UK has no Bluefin quota and so it is illegal to target them which means that from now on I will be mainly fishing for Bass when using 9" plugs or livebaits on downriggers... As a recreational Sea Angler on a non registered private boat how are you affected by quota's? In theory we are all held to ransom as the UK has zero quota for Bluefin both for commercial and recreational FISHERMEN. This means that Recreational FISHERMEN cannot target Bluefin in the UK and overseas they can only do it if following the rules and guidelines and if issued with a permit to do so. We have no permit as we have no quota! Now the observant amongst you may have noticed I have written FISHERMEN. There is a clear and understood difference between recreational fishing and recreational angling. Fishing is the use of any method to catch your fish, either for the purpose of sale or as food for yourself. On the continent many recreational fishermen do just this and use nets, traps and so on in order to catch several different species, often being sold to local restaurants and often being used for food. Those of us who dive for scallops or drop a few lobster pots for example would be classed as recreational fishermen. Recreational anglers are those of us who use rod and line for the purpose of sport, sometimes to catch fish for our own consumption, but never to sell on. These definitions are known, but do get blurred. I think it's time to keep these distinctions very clear.

Brilliant fish George, Well done!!! I haven't been back to Carteret for some 30 years! Went there on holiday as a kiddy and loved the place. No marina there then, just a sandy estuary full of mullet, a cracking market and wonderful sea food restaurant along with one of the best surf beaches a ten year old boy with a polystyrene surfboard could wish for.

Well I have just discovered that ccurrently the UK has no Bluefin quota and so it is illegal to target them which means that from now on I will be mainly fishing for Bass when using 9" plugs or livebaits on downriggers...

Yes, that would really pi$$ on your fire!!!!!!!!!!!! Next time I\we would like more pics of the rig and setup, also of the "blobs" on the sounder!!! You could do with one of Jims Bagutte roof holders for all those rods! Perhaps have it mounted on the transom! R Rob I have a very short video I need to upload. No voice over, but it shows the outriggers in more detail and then show the rods. Only about 30 seconds worth. No pics of the returns on the sounder, but rest assured this was a 12" screen, split down the middle with plotter on one side fish finder on the other. The water was roughly 30 to 40' deep and the soundings were more or less in the middle, closish together over about a 100 yard area maybe slightly more. It is a pure guess, but these soundings were barrel shaped and the indication was they were three to five feet long and maybe up to 18" deep. Bright red in the centre of the return fading to orange with only the faintest soft blue in the return around the very edges. I sware I am not making them up, JJ saw them as clearly as me and there were quite a number of them. That said, I cannot categorically say what they were, but the shape was certainly an indication.

I cannot possibly confirm what these large soundings were and I am not going to comment on where they were, but I saw the soundings with my own eyes. Next attempt will be a Bass fishing trip to the same location using livebaits both just under the surface and also on downriggers. Either drifting or very slow trolling. The hose idea is a good one and may well be employed. Be a right pain if those pescy Bluefin ruined a decent Bass session.